


Closing Door

by orphan_account



Category: Lewis (TV)
Genre: Other, Sad, unexpected
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-09-08
Updated: 2011-09-08
Packaged: 2017-10-23 13:35:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/250863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>James and Robbie get together and then ..............</p>
            </blockquote>





	Closing Door

James recorded the complicated finger-picking for Classical Gas, staring into space, lost in the music, deep into the reason why he was committing it to CD, knowing he would transfer it onto an I Pod afterwards.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55A9H-PqOvY

 

 

He wasn’t happy with the first attempt so started again before realising there were tears in his eyes.

 

 

Rose was dying.  He’d been told that the cancer had been so far advanced when it was discovered that she had only days, so he played his heart out for her.  He played all the friendship and happy times that they had shared, him, Robbie, Rose and Maggie since that fateful morning when he’d rung Maggie to tell her that they were lovers, that he and Robbie were ever so very  slightly outed.

 

 

She’d asked for “the barbecue music”.  That was when he’d brought his guitar and she’d sat mesmerised by Classical Gas.  He’d played it over and over.  Rose was a very appreciative audience – she’d even brought out her sketch pad and made pencil sketches of him playing.  He was flattered and Maggie stood behind her partner, stroking Rose’s hair, so proud of her.

 

 

He took the I-pod to the hospice.  Rose’s normally frail and pale face was skeletal and wasted.  He bent to kiss her cheek, afraid she would break … or perhaps he would.  He had seen plenty of people die but this was different.  He inserted the ear pieces for her and she listened to the music with a beatific smile on her face –

 

 

 “Oh James, that’s you playing.  That’s so nice.  Thank you.  I want to be listening to that when… you know.  When I go” her smile became wistful.  “You will look after Maggie for me, won’t you?”

 

 

Remembering what had happened on the river, James was filled with shame and couldn’t look at Rose but she continued.

 

 

“I know you are very fond of each other and I know she’ll be so lonely.  Don’t let her be lonely James, will you?  Please?”  He forced himself to look at the little china-doll woman lying in the bed and nodded silently.  She nodded back, satisfied that they understood each other.  She pointed at the cupboard and pressed the button to start the music again, tapping herfingers on the bedcover in time to it, quite calm and happy.

 

 

James went to the cupboard and found her sketch pad.  He opened the first page and nearly dropped it – him, but naked, his guitar strategically placed so he was like a draped Greek statue.  He flipped over the pages and there was sketch after sketch of him in various poses – she must have done them from memory and then imagined his clothes away.

 

 

She smiled at him from the pillow, a slight pink flush to her cheeks.

 

 

“You were such a good model, I couldn’t resist.  Do you mind very much?  You can keep them – only Maggie has seen them.”  She was still tapping her fingers to the music.

 

 

“No, Rose, I don’t mind at all – I’m flattered.  They’re…exquisite.  Thank you.”  He bent over to kiss her cheek again and she stroked his face.

 

 

“Such perfect planes – I’m rather tired now James, would you mind leaving?  I think I need a nap.  No, leave the ear pieces, I want to listen again."

 

 

* * *

 

Maggie phoned on the Saturday morning.  Rose had died in the early hours, listening to James’ recording and very peaceful. 

 

 

“She had a request, Hathaway.  Would you play it at her remembrance service?”

 

 

He didn’t say that she’d had two requests and that the other one would be harder to fulfil.

 

 

 

 


End file.
